FET a 'good news story'
THE number of students taking up CMETB further education and training courses in Cavan and Monaghan has increased by 11% in the past year.
Further Education and Training (FET) Director, Dr Linda Pinkster, gave a representation at the most recent meeting of the Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB) last week.
She informed members that, in February 2025, there were 4,034 distinct learners attending FET campuses in Cavan and Monaghan but that number had increased to 4,701 today.
“Adult literacy provision continues to expand,” Dr Pinkster told the meeting and she pointed to the establishment of new small-group provision in Castleblayney.
Take-up of apprenticeships also remains strong in the CMETB catchment area with over 1,100 apprentices supported across a broad range of programmes, according to the FET director.
She told members that electrical apprenticeship workshops continue to operate across both counties with five traineeships currently in operation and recruitment for 2026 “well underway”.
Dr Pinkster also announced that a new QQI Level 5 Floor and Wall Tiling Traineeship is in development in Cavan, to commence in September 2026.
English as a second language (ESOL) participation has also increased in CMETB settings as has family learning.
The director said CMETB is making arrangements for additional summer provision of family learning initiatives in partnership with local schools, but this is “subject to funding alignment”.
The EU Erasmus+ programme, which provides funding for international placements and partnership projects for organisations working in education, training, youth and sport, is continuing in this region but for the first time ever will include adult education learners from Cavan and Monaghan.
Dr Pinkster further reported that PeacePlus projects here are “progressing well” including the establishment of a new Women’s Shed in Bailieborough with ongoing capital works supported by Cavan County Council.
The Reach Fund delivers funding to improve access and support for educationally disadvantaged learners who participate in community education programmes across Ireland.
In the CMETB region, REACH funding awards have been issued to 22 community groups with a total allocation of €83,273, with a second call for applications later this year.
This prompted Carrickmacross-based councillor Colm Carthy (SF) to ask Dr Pinkster “were all the community groups who applied for funding successful?”
“No, some were not eligible,” she told him, pointing to "strict criteria".
She added: "All who had a reasonable application were considered and, if their application just needed a bit of tweaking, it was sent back to them and they were given a chance to re-submit it.
“Some groups may not have got the full amount they applied for, but they got some funding,” she assured Cllr Carthy.
Dr Pinkster reported that, although there was lower overall participation in Adult Learner’s Week this year, there was “strong engagement” in innovative taster programmes such as AI for Interior Design and conversational language courses.
She was also pleased to announce the opening of the Adult Education Centre at St Augustine’s in Cavan in May 2026 and said Adult Education Graduation ceremonies in Cavan and Monaghan are scheduled for June.
Acknowledging Dr Pinkster for her work in the FET sector across the CMETB, board member, Joe McGrath said: “Everything there is a good news story.”